Alone In The Night
by Bratling
Summary: A night in the life of Miss Parkerpost IOTH


All Standard Disclaimers apply. The characters from The Pretender do not beling to me. Yadda yadda yadda. ;)  
  
This is my first try at Pretender fic, and I was told that I should probably post it here... Enjoy! All feedback appreciated.  
  
Alone In The Night  
  
The world is spinning, swirling into a deep, dark abyss. All  
of the light in my world has been blotted out, leaving darkness in  
its stead. I recognize this scenario and cringe in fear for what I  
know is coming next. I don't want to see it, I would give anything  
for it not to happen. I cover my face with hands, knowing the  
gesture is futile in the darkness, but instinctively trying to shield  
myself from the awful terror. I hold my hand in front of my face,  
but it might as well not be there. There is no light. I am alone.  
  
The thick, black darkness presses close, suffocating me.  
Dreading what will come next, I scream in silence, for even sound is  
muffled. A small point of light appears and begins to expand,  
showing me images I dread to see. My best friend and I are walking  
down a dirty, litter-strewn sidewalk when we hear a loud noise. A  
gunshot! He falls, clutching at his chest while blood gushes from  
beneath his hands. A steely grasp yanks me from his side. They've  
hurt him! The faceless images have shot Jarod. They pull me towards  
a dark car and the cloying, smothering darkness closes in around me  
once again.  
  
I wake up, a scream tearing from my throat. I push back my  
sweat soaked hair, bury my face in my hands, and start to cry. The  
man I have always called my father is dead. The one constant that  
remains is Jarod, my nemesis, my prey... my best friend. One day  
they will catch up to him and my dream will become a reality. The  
last time we spoke, I told him that nothing had changed. It's true--  
I cannot afford to let anything change between us. Everyone I care  
for dies and I couldn't bear it if he did, too. He knows that he is  
my best friend, I'd like to think that I'm his. I dare not let him  
see how I really feel, there is much more than simple friendship for  
him in my heart. The almost kiss on the island was no accident--I  
would have given anything for it to have happened. Even now, I'd  
like him to come through my window and kiss me senseless. I can't,  
though. The risk is too great--I want to stay alive. I shiver and  
rub my hands up and down my arms to warm them. I wish he were here  
to drive the nightmare away. I keep dreaming it. One day it just  
might happen. The thought haunts me. In one moment, they can take  
away the one person I have left--the only person who really knows me  
and still gives a damn about what happens to me.  
  
I dash the tears from my eyes and pull the blankets up around  
me. My phone rings, so I reach over and pick it up off my  
nightstand. "What?" I say, giving my usual response and hoping that  
my voice isn't trembling.  
  
"Miss Parker," his familiar voice answers.  
  
"Jarod," I say quietly, thankful to hear his voice.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asks softly.  
  
"I... I don't know," I answer. "I wish you were here," I  
murmur in spite of myself.  
  
"I can be... give me five minutes," he answers and the line  
goes dead.  
  
I hang up, wishing I hadn't said the scary words. Briefly, I  
consider calling the sweepers, but I don't want to. If I call them,  
the Centre will destroy him--it does that. The Centre has been part  
of my life for as long as it has been part of Jarod's... and it  
destroys people. Both of us are walking wounded and it is the  
Centre's fault. I push back the covers as Jarod enters my room. I  
didn't know he was close by, but right now I don't care. He opens  
his arms and I walk silently into them, welcoming the comfort of his  
embrace.  
  
"The nightmare again?" he asks quietly.  
  
I nod, listening to his voice as it rumbles in his chest.  
His arms tighten around me, as if to protect me from the night demons  
that still lurk in the shadows of my mind. I haven't told him what  
the nightmare is about--to do that would be to admit to him how I  
feel and I can't do that. "Stay and hold me tonight?" I ask  
raggedly. "You can keep the nightmares away," I say, my breath  
catching in my throat.  
  
"Yes," he answers simply, dropping a kiss into my hair. He  
leads me over to the bed and slips under the blankets before holding  
out his arms for me. We've been through this a few times before  
tonight and he told me that having me to hold on to keeps his bad  
dreams at bay too. I climb into bed and pull up the bedclothes  
before settling into his arms. I lay my head on his chest and listen  
to the steady thrumming of his heart.  
  
In the warm, familiar comfort of his embrace, I am safe at  
last.  
  
Finis. 


End file.
